TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: Eve teasers and molesters better watch out as help for victims is now just a call away. A 24-hour helpline for women is being launched, following the molestation of two NRI women on new years eve at Juhu.
From February 25, women facing harassment of any sort physical or mental need to simply dial the number 103 and it will ring at the police control room. Policemen in charge of the control room, where the emergency number 100 is also attended to, are being trained to receive and attend to calls made by women in trouble. The number can be dialled from landlines and mobile phones of all service providers.
After two NRI women were molested by a mob at Juhu on new years eve, police commissioner D N Jadhav had assured a group of women NGOs, like Stree Mukti Sanghatana, Akshara, Stree Shakti Kendra and India Center for Law, of a helpline for women. Such a helpline exists in Delhi, Chandigarh and other cities across the country. In Mumbai, the police also have a helpline 1090 devoted to senior citizens. This helpline is also manned by the police.
Susiie Shah, member of the Maharashtra Mahila Ayog, which has initiated the move told TOI, Help for women will just be a call away. The identity of the women will also not be disclosed. As soon as the call for help is made to the control room, police help will reach the victim within 7-8 minutes, say police officials.
The victim can make a call if she comes across harassment anywhere, be it in the college campus, roadside, railway station or at home, said Shah, stressing on the need for women to come out in the open and complain against harassment. In the Juhu case, the two women refused to come forward and identify the men who had molested them. The police had arrested 14 youth, most of them from a housing society in Vile Parle, on charges of groping and molesting the women.
Women can use the helpline to complain against domestic violence, be it physical, mental, sexual or financial harassment. Dowry harassment, abuse by family, eve teasing, molestation, stalking, rape, buying and selling of women/girls, forced prostitution, confinement and sexual harassment can be reported on the number 103. A log will be maintained by the Mumbai police for the complaint received and action taken. The log book will be monitored by the NGOs, said Shah.
From February 25, women facing harassment of any sort physical or mental need to simply dial the number 103 and it will ring at the police control room. Policemen in charge of the control room, where the emergency number 100 is also attended to, are being trained to receive and attend to calls made by women in trouble. The number can be dialled from landlines and mobile phones of all service providers.
After two NRI women were molested by a mob at Juhu on new years eve, police commissioner D N Jadhav had assured a group of women NGOs, like Stree Mukti Sanghatana, Akshara, Stree Shakti Kendra and India Center for Law, of a helpline for women. Such a helpline exists in Delhi, Chandigarh and other cities across the country. In Mumbai, the police also have a helpline 1090 devoted to senior citizens. This helpline is also manned by the police.
Susiie Shah, member of the Maharashtra Mahila Ayog, which has initiated the move told TOI, Help for women will just be a call away. The identity of the women will also not be disclosed. As soon as the call for help is made to the control room, police help will reach the victim within 7-8 minutes, say police officials.
The victim can make a call if she comes across harassment anywhere, be it in the college campus, roadside, railway station or at home, said Shah, stressing on the need for women to come out in the open and complain against harassment. In the Juhu case, the two women refused to come forward and identify the men who had molested them. The police had arrested 14 youth, most of them from a housing society in Vile Parle, on charges of groping and molesting the women.
Women can use the helpline to complain against domestic violence, be it physical, mental, sexual or financial harassment. Dowry harassment, abuse by family, eve teasing, molestation, stalking, rape, buying and selling of women/girls, forced prostitution, confinement and sexual harassment can be reported on the number 103. A log will be maintained by the Mumbai police for the complaint received and action taken. The log book will be monitored by the NGOs, said Shah.